The SWALCO Scoop
June 2, 2025
Greetings, SWALCO fans!
Welcome to The SWALCO Scoop, our monthly electronic newsletter! This month, we're sharing ways SWALCO can help you recycle excess driveway sealant and post-rummage sale materials. Don't forget to check out our events calendar and schedule an appointment to drop off your household chemical waste!
Driveway sealant is a petroleum-based or latex-mixed product used to protect and enhance driveways. Improper disposal of excess sealant can harm the environment and pollute waterways. EMPTY containers with semi-dry, residual mixtures are not suitable for recycling and should be disposed of in the trash. On garbage day, stack the buckets and lids separately outside your garbage container.
To properly dispose of your excess driveway sealant, sign up for one of our monthly Household Chemical Waste (HCW) drop-offs at our Gurnee facility. Appointments are required--schedule yours today: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/ab9f2c49
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The Village of Round Lake Park and Avon Township are partnering with SWALCO for a Shoes and Shred event on Saturday, June 14, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Round Lake Park Village Hall (203 E Lake Shore Drive)! Bring your shoes to donate to the SWALCO Reuse-A-Shoe program. You can also bring your confidential documents to be shredded and recycled (limit of 6 banker boxes per vehicle until shred truck is full).
Have your shoes and shredding documents in marked bags in your trunk—pop your trunk, drive through, and go!
*Remember to recycle mail, envelopes, coupons, magazines, & other paper products in your curbside recycling bin. More than 99% of the paper from your home is recyclable curbside.
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If your church, school, community, neighborhood, or organization hosts or is planning to host a rummage or garage sale, SWALCO can help ensure your remaining materials are reused, repurposed, or recycled.
Our affiliated vendors will assist us in picking up:
- Accessories (including purses and handbags, backpacks, belts, tote bags and jewelry)
- Books
- Clothing
- Household textiles
- Kitchenware, glassware, housewares/home goods, accessories, decor, and knick-knacks
- Pairs of shoes (all footwear is acceptable, excluding ice skates, roller blades, and moldy/badly damaged shoes)
- Plush/Stuffed toys
- School and office supplies, arts and crafts supplies and kits
- Small, reuseable furniture
- Some small household appliances
- And more!
Please reach out at least 2 to 4 weeks in advance of your event, or as soon as you have a date in your calendar, to ensure we can service your event. For more information, a comprehensive list of acceptable materials, or to schedule a pick-up for your event, please call SWALCO at (847) 377-4950.
On behalf of the International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) Chair for Illinois and SWALCO’s Programs and Education Director, Merleanne Rampale, along with the entire SWALCO team and the Illinois Compost Coalition, we would like to thank everyone who participated in ICAW activities, programs, and events this year. This year, our ICAW adventures provided a variety of opportunities to learn about the benefits of compost and the importance of compost and combatting climate change; there were also discussions surrounding conservation, soil health, wasted food diversion and reduction, how to grow healthy food, and more. Attendees of all ages were able to see, smell, and touch compost and learn how to incorporate initiatives into their own gardens and communities.
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In addition to other regions around the state, several thousand people across Lake County attended live and virtual events and programs including farm festivals, compost givebacks, garden and specialty tours and experiences, composting demonstrations and applications, educational programs, and storytimes.
Thank you, again, to all our communities, residents, and organizations who hosted and collaborated with SWALCO, as well as all who experienced this wonderful week of global awareness, education, and fun.
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If you enjoy a nice cup of tea and have a flare for gardening, come learn what plants you can grow in our area to create or enhance your very own tea blends. We will focus on a vast array of plants that can be used for making tea. This talk includes an interactive, sensory component of fresh or dried plants depending on the season. Comprehensive plant list provided.
Register for session 5, "Growing a Tea Garden," using this link: https://go.illinois.edu/gls2025teagarden
This year, there will be 11 presentations in total - one a month from February through December 2025. All are free and virtual, and will be held on the second Wednesday of each month from 6:00-7:30 pm.
Registration is required, and you must register for each session you wish to attend. Registration closes 11:59 pm the Tuesday before each presentation. Presentations will not be recorded, but the Zoom link and handouts will be mailed before 2 pm the day of the program.
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June 11: Garden Learning Series
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June 14: HCW Drop-Off
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June 14: NSUC Rummage Sale
- 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM
- 2100 Half Day Road, Deerfield, IL 60015
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June 14: Shoes & Shred Event
- Village of Round Lake Park Village Hall
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
- 203 E Lake Shore Drive, Round Lake Park, IL 60073
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June 28: HCW Drop-Off
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To learn about these programs and more, visit swalco.org.
Check with your community for more events and opportunities.
Thanks for taking a moment to catch up on The SWALCO Scoop! Please encourage your family and friends to sign up for our exclusive newsletter to stay informed on latest news, updates, and events. Together, we can make a difference!
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